Little Devils & Other Quail Egg Delicacies

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Little Devils & Other Quail Egg Delicacies

A friend of mine had asked if it was possible to make deviled quail eggs. I had honestly never considered it. It seemed like an awful lot of work for such a tiny hors d’oeuvre. I joked that you would need a pretty tiny spoon to clean them out, but she was not put off by the idea. She thought it would be insanely cute, so I set her up with a couple dozen to try out.

Being a wonderful friend, she documented the process for me to share with you. I have to say, it went infinitely better than I thought it would.

Here are Robin’s “Little Devil” eggs:

Little Devil Egg Recipe

In a saucepan, boil water and 1/2 c. plain white vinegar. Once the water is boiling, carefully add 24 quail eggs using a slotted spoon. Time for 3 minutes. Using your slotted spoon, remove eggs and add to a bowl of ice water to cool them completely. Roll the cooled eggs gently on your counter top to crack them all over. Peel, rinse, and dry on towels.

Now, cut each egg in half and pop out yolks into a small bowl. Place whites on a plate or serving platter. Combine 1/4 c. mayo, 1 tsp. yellow mustard, and 1 tsp. vinegar (white or apple cider) with the yolks. You may also wish to salt and pepper to taste. Mix and mash the yoke mix with a fork until creamy. Scoop yolk mixture into a plastic bag and cut a small piece of the bag’s corner off. If you have a pastry bag on hand, you may find it easier to use than the plastic bag. Pipe yolk filling into each white. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Other Quail Egg Recipes

Za’atar Herb-Rolled Quail’s Eggs from Laura Calder. For those who are unfamiliar, za’atar is a Mediterranean spice mix. You can make your own by combining fresh chopped oregano, sumac, ground cumin, and sesame seeds (1 tbsp. each) with kosher salt and ground black pepper (1 tsp. each).

Facts About Quail Eggs

It takes 4-5 Coturnix quail eggs to equal the average chicken egg. Even more if you are using tinier eggs like Button quail. That’s a lot of egg cracking. But good news! They sell fancy scissors just for these tiny eggs. I have a set and they save a lot of time in the kitchen, especially if you’re making an omlet.

They have a richer flavor than chicken eggs due to the higher yoke to white ratio. Quail eggs also have 2% more protein than chicken eggs in a smaller portion. They also contain high levels of vitamins A and B2.

Are you allergic to chicken eggs? Duck eggs might be a good egg for you. Are you allergic to both chicken and duck eggs? Quail eggs might be your saving grace. The proteins in quail eggs are easier to digest than any other farmyard egg.

Quail eggs are higher in cholesterol than chicken eggs. In fact, one quail egg contains almost as much cholesterol as one medium-sized chicken egg. Moderation is key.

I am a non-traditional homesteader. What is a non-traditional homesteader? I'd like to think we are the people who don't fit the mold. I am a busy mom on a small bit of property with not a lot of financial resources, but I am figuring out how to live the life I want. A homesteader's life.

Welcome! My name
is Jessica Lane. I live a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle with my sweet
husband and three beautiful children on 1/4 acre in Maine. We raise Nigerian Dwarf goats, ducks, and chickens, and we grow as much food as we can. What we can't grow or produce ourselves we barter for. If we can homestead where we live, what's stopping you?